


Last First Kiss

by embro



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Drinking, Kissing, M/M, Swearing, first off HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAELYS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 06:30:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5118620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embro/pseuds/embro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's a good kid, Louis' misunderstood, and they meet in detention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Last First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yourssincerelylarry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourssincerelylarry/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAELYS!!!!!

Louis felt like he was suffocating, it was the only reason why he’d done it, but of course every teacher in the school bloody hated him so no one would listen.

He’d taken off his school tie for fuck’s sake, it wasn’t like he’d hurt anyone, yet there he was spending another one of his lunch times in a class room staring at a white board.

Whichever teacher had used the room last had taken pity on the detention goers and hadn’t rubbed everything out before they’d left, so Louis at least had something to read. It was maths equations, mind, but it was something he could distract himself with.

Maybe he could teach himself something.

Maybe reading over those same equations over and over would turn him into a maths genius, or at least trigger enough smarts in him so he could move out of the dumb maths class.

But of course, as was his nature, he got bored after the fourth read through and started looking around himself.

The supervisor was on her phone, small smile on her face, probably sexting her partner or something. Behind him was a kid from maybe Eighth or Ninth with a big build and no neck. He looked like a cliché bully, one from a Nickelodeon cartoon or something. The kid looked up and, at realizing he was being watched, curled his lip up into a snarl. Louis couldn’t help but laugh, seeing this kid try to intimidate a Year Twelver.

“Tomlinson, turn around.” The supervisor snapped, and Louis did as he was told with a sigh.

He slumped in his seat and stared at his desk, considering laying his head down on it but knowing there was no point. He’d just be told off again; detention was for boring students shitless, so trying to get a few minutes shut-eye was a grave offence according to the teachers. The only thing any of them were allowed to do was sit and stare at the front of the room. It would have been better if it was more like those American films, where kids got to write lines and shit. At least he’d be able to do _something_.

Louis wasn’t good at doing nothing.

If he sat still for too long he’d get this itchy feeling beneath his skin, his legs would cramp up and his arms would stiffen and he’d _need_ to move.

He sighed louder and looked up at the board, thinking maybe if he read the numbers a few times he’d be able to solve one of the equations.

He managed to read it through six times before he got distracted again.

A boy at the front had spun around in his seat and looked right at him, so naturally Louis was going to look back.

The boy was familiar, Louis had seen him around school plenty of times, always surrounded by loads of other kids. His hair looked a bit ridiculous, long fringe swooping across his forehead, ends curling around his ears. He was pretty though, skin pale and clear, eyes big and green, lips puffy and pink.

He was still staring too, so Louis raised an eyebrow at him.

And the boy’s returning smile was blinding. It dwarfed his whole face, those big lips spreading wide to reveal white straight teeth, his cheeks dimpling and his eyes brightening.

Louis couldn’t help but grin back, confused as he was about what the hell the kid was smiling about.

The boy goofily waved a hand, and Louis crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue because he didn’t know what the hell else to do.

It was cute how the kid responded, barking out a short laugh and slapping his hand across his mouth.

“Harry?” the supervisor reprimanded, looking at him with a fond little smile. “Quiet please love.”

“Sorry Miss.” He said, turning himself to her and smiling sheepishly. He dropped his shoulders and stared up at her through his big dumb fringe, and Louis got what this kid was about in that one act. He was a charmer. A people pleaser. Probably why he was always surrounded by people, he just knew how to work them.

Louis didn’t like people like that; he felt like they were constantly acting, changing who they were depending on who they were talking to. They didn’t feel like real people, more like some counterfeit, and Louis couldn’t help but feel cheated by them. They made it look far too easy to be likeable, and Louis knew from life experience that it was one of the hardest things.

It was why when Harry turned around to meet his eyes again, Louis looked back to the board.

He saw Harry wave from the corner of his eye but steadfastly ignored it, trying to distract himself with the numbers and the ‘X’s and the ‘Y’s scribbled in bright blue marker.

When Harry’s waving got more exuberant and desperate, Louis looked to his fingers and started picking at his nails, pursing his lips to look like he was concentrating.

“Harry.” The supervisor’s voice came out far less friendly than the first time, and instinctively Louis looked up at the boy.

Who was still waving at him, grinning like all his dreams had come true when their eyes met.

“Hi!” he called from his desk. “I’m Harry.”

“I figured that.” Louis snorted in reply, nodding his head towards the woman who was glaring at them both. “You might wanna shut up now before she kills us both.”

“I’m not a _she_.” She snapped. “I have a name. Mrs Barker.”

“You’re right, Miss, sorry. As Mum always says, _she is the cat’s mother._ ” Harry replied with a grin, and Louis wasn’t sure if he wanted to hit the guy or beg him to teach how he did it when the supervisor was smiling again.

Just like that, like yelling out in detention was nothing. If Louis had done it he’d be made to come back every lunch time for the next week.

“Just quieten down.” Mrs Barker said gently. “Only four more minutes left, I’m sure you can handle it.”

Harry smiled and Louis scoffed, and Harry looked at him and Louis made an effort not to meet his gaze again.

It was the longest four minutes of Louis’ life, ignoring this boy that wouldn’t stop staring at him, but when the time was up Louis found himself begging for detention to start again because Harry was walking up to his desk with that huge smile on his face.

He held out his hand, but Louis brushed it aside as he walked past Harry to get out of the room.

“Hey!” Harry called out after him, hurrying to catch up. “Why are you ignoring me?”

“Why are you talking to me?” Louis snapped.

“I just want to.”

“Maybe I just want to ignore you.”

“How come?”

“Because its _bullshit_ ,” Louis growled through his teeth, and Harry raised an eyebrow. “You just yelled out in detention and didn’t get a telling off for it, but if I’d done it I’d be dead.”

“Oh,” Harry waved a hand between them. “She’s my form teacher. She has to be nice.”

“My form teacher would have my head on a platter,” Louis grunted, but a lot of his anger at Harry had eased off. It was all a bit stupid of him, another one of his explosive overreactions, and some guilt was kicking in. “How come you were in detention anyway? You don’t seem like the type to get it.”

“You saying I’m a goody two shoes?” Harry laughed. “I s’pose I am, this was my first detention. How many have you had?”

“Too many to count,” Louis muttered. It wasn’t something he was proud of, he wasn’t going to boast about it.

Harry crinkled up his nose. “That sounds like a lot. You’re a bad boy then?”

“I don’t have a leather jacket and motorbike, sorry if you’re into that sort of thing,” Louis laughed. “I’m just disruptive, apparently. Never done anything bad enough to get expelled. They just keep giving me detentions.”

They got to his locker then, and Louis opened it to search for his Biology books. He found his exercise book but not his text, so he figured he’d just have to share with Liam.

While he was rifling through for his Religion book Harry said “You’d think they would have realised by now it’s not working.”

“I know,” Louis rolled his eyes, slamming his locker closed. “They just like to see me suffer I think. They know sitting still and being quiet for that long is practically impossible for me.”

“You got ADHD?”

Louis looked to Harry with pure shock. The boy was just blinking innocently at him, nothing but concern and genuine interest there on his face; no nasty smile or judgement. “You can’t just go around asking people that shit!”

“Oh, right!” Harry slapped his hand to his forehead, and Louis couldn’t help but wonder if he’d done the same thing before. “I forgot.”

“You’re fucking weird.”

“I know,” Harry grinned. “You wanna be mates?”

“I dunno, you’re a bit off.”

“I’m not,” Harry shook his head quick, his hair falling into his face. He put his hand into his fringe and shook it hard, then swopped it to the side again. It made his hair all puffy and big, and Louis wanted to touch it. “I’m actually really cool, I promise.”

“I’m not exactly a loser either, I’ll have you know.”

Harry grinned. “I know, I’ve seen you around school with Liam and stuff. You’re on the football team too, and the debating team.”

“Christ mate, you a stalker or something?” Louis laughed to hide his embarrassment. He could feel his ears going pink, flattered as he was.

“Nah, just observant. My friend is having a party this weekend if you want to come?”

“I’m not going to a Year Ten party.”

“I’m in Year Eleven,” Harry rolled his eyes, then he smiled proudly. “And besides it’s not a friend from school, it’s my neighbour. He’s in Uni.”

Louis noticed the halls were practically empty now, everyone having gone into their classrooms. He would rather not get another detention already for being late, so he picked up his pace. “Does he know you’re inviting the whole school?”

“I’m not.” Harry pouted. “Just a few mates.”

“And me.”

“You’re a mate now, so you fit into that category,” he smiled winningly, those bloody dimples popping. Louis stomach swooped and he hated it, that this kid had him feeling all giddy after a few damn niceties.

Louis’ biology class was only a few doors away, so he stopped walking and looked to Harry. He had to look up a little bit, just about an inch, but it was annoying nonetheless. “You’re a bit keen, has anyone ever told you that?”

“No, actually. Not a very commonly used word, is it, _keen_?”

“I’ve got to go into class,” Louis excused himself. “I’ll talk to you about it later.”

“All right!” Harry beamed. “It’s not a rejection so I’ll take it.”

“See you around then, mate,” Louis laughed. To Harry’s credit, Louis couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so much. His cheeks were aching with it, the corners of his eyes watering a little.

Harry grinned and replied with “Definitely, I’ll make sure of it,” before beginning the walk to his own class, moving backwards so he could watch Louis go into his room.

Louis practically floated into Biology, ignoring the look his teacher gave him as he drifted to his table at the back.

Liam was watching him with a raised eyebrow, and when the teacher turned to write something on the board he leaned in to whisper in Louis’ ear “What the hell happened to you? You look like you’re in love.”

Which was when Louis’ heart came crushing to the ground. “Oh fuck,” he groaned. “If I’m getting a crush on another straight boy then cut my dick off right now.”

Liam laughed into his hand, his eyes squinting up into little slits. “Who is he then?”

“Harry, don’t know his last name.” Louis groaned. “He’s in the year below, and he’s gorgeous. Bit weird though.”

“Uhh.” Liam nodded sympathetically. “You do like the weird ones.”

“No I don’t!” Louis scoffed. “When have I ever liked someone weird?”

Liam’s forehead creased up as he thought. “Well, I suppose you just don’t realise they’re weird. For even you to pick up this guy is weird, he must be _really_ weird.”

“Name one weird guy I’ve been out with.”

“You never go out with them, though, do you? Just crush on them.”

“Sod off!” Louis snapped, but he couldn’t stop the grin spreading onto his cheeks. It was just so _Liam_ of him; he always meant well, but more times than not he was a bloody offensive git.

“Tomlinson!” the teacher called from the front. “Tell me and the rest of the class what page we’re on in the text.”

“Don’t know, Sir, wasn’t listening.” Louis yelled back. “Give me three guesses to get it right. My first is…” he put his pointer fingers to his temples and closed his eyes, making a humming sound loud enough for everyone to hear. There were a few snorting laughs from the front of the room, and that was all Louis needed to carry on. “Three hundred and twelve.”

“There aren’t even that many pages in the book, Louis.” The teacher sighed. “We’re on one hundred and eighty six. Just read the chapter and be quiet.”

Louis nodded his head with exaggerated enthusiasm. “All right, Sir. Right away.” Then he turned to Liam and rapped his knuckles on his mate’s forearm. “I left my book at home, let me share yours.”

“Louis!” the teacher snapped again. “Final warning!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Louis waved his hand.

“That’s it. Detention.”

“But Sir -!”

“I don’t want to hear it, Tomlinson.”

“But I was just asking Li –”

“I said be quiet, do you want to make it two?”

“No.” Louis sulked, dropping lower in his chair. “This is bull shit.” He muttered under his breath, pulling Liam’s text book closer to him.

“Sorry mate.” Liam murmured, and Louis nodded his head.

Every day was the fucking same.

\---

Louis had pretty much forgotten about Harry until his detention the next day, when he was bored shitless and missed the boy’s presence. There wasn’t even anything to stare at on the board, so it was one of those times where he had to pinch himself any time he had the urge to shout something out or stand up and walk around the room. It was so much easier in primary school, when he could distract himself with the posters and pictures made by students that covered the walls. Why was Secondary so fucking serious? Why couldn’t they do posters instead of essays and speeches?

He caught a glimpse of Harry between fifth and sixth period, when he was hurrying between Maths and English, but he didn’t manage to speak to him until after school.

He’d been walking to the bus stop with a few mates, playing keepy-uppy with his brand new football, when the kid pushed himself into their little group and tapped Louis on the shoulder.

Louis consequently dropped the ball in surprise, and the thing rolled out onto the road. He could only watch in horror as a van flew past and popped it.

All his mates burst into laughter, pushing Louis’ shoulders as they walked past him, leaving him to stand there staring at his flattened ball alone.

Well, not completely alone. Harry was still behind him.

“I’m so sorry, I’ll get you a new one.” Harry promised.

Louis spun on his heels and glared at the boy. “You better!”

“I will.” Harry nodded, and he looked genuinely guilty. “What brand was it? Adidas? Nike?”

And Louis sighed and rolled his eyes, throwing an arm around Harry’s shoulder and pulling him along. “Don’t worry about it, it was a shit one anyway. Nothing fancy.”

“No, I wanna replace it! It’s only fair.”

“I don’t even remember the brand, though. Just get me whatever.”

“All right.” Harry nodded assuredly. “I’ll bring you one tomorrow.”

Louis grinned. “No rush. So what are you doing here, anyway? Thought you’d live on the other side of town.”

“I do, but I just wanted to see you. Can I come hang out at yours? Mum’s not back for ages so she won’t mind.”

“Don’t you have _actual_ friends you can hang out with?” Louis scoffed. “We only just met yesterday, kid.”

Harry snorted “Stop calling me kid, I’m not even that much younger. And yes of course I do, I just wanted to get to know you! You’re my newest buddy and all.”

“So fucking weird, I swear.” Louis laughed. “But yeah, fine, you can come over. My place is nothing special though, and it’s probably a pigsty. Probably about a quarter of the size of yours’ if I’m honest.”

“I don’t care.” Harry shrugged, and Louis felt the movement beneath his arm.

He pulled it off Harry’s shoulders and let it hang by his side, trying to ignore the fuzzy feeling that ran beneath his skin.

He scratched at his inner elbow, then crossed his arms in front of his chest. Now that he was thinking about it, he couldn’t quite shake that itching feeling. He needed something to do with his arms, needed to move them somehow.

He wished he had his ball so he could distract himself with that.

“Are we getting the bus?” Harry asked, and Louis was thankful for the interruption to his thoughts.

“Yeah, you got a card?”

“No,” he frowned. “but I’ve got some change.”

Louis nodded, and uncrossed his arms, and unintentionally wacked Harry’s side with his falling arm. “Sorry.”

Harry just grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s fine.”

By the time they got to the stop, Louis’ mates had already caught their buses. There were a load of girls from St Anne’s, their sister school, milling about. He didn’t know any of them, but a few knew him by the looks of it.

A couple of girls kept looking at Louis as they spoke, and smiled when they realised he’d caught them.

“Who are they?” Harry asked, nudging into him. “That blonde one is pretty.”

“Dunno, but I can introduce you if you want?”

Harry shrugged. “It’s all right, I think she’s into you anyway.”

They waited for the bus in silence, another two passing before Louis’ finally arrived.

The girls that had been watching him got on it before them, so Louis figured _fuck it._

Once he swiped his card he walked up the aisle to where they were sitting, grabbing the pole in front of the blonde and grinning down at her.

She looked up at him through her fringe and smiled prettily. “Louis Tomlinson, right?”

“That’s me! I’m sorry I don’t know your lovely names.”

She giggled and said “Everyone calls me Aggie.”

“I’m Bronte.” Her friend added. She was pretty too, with brown hair and pale clear skin, blue eyes bright between her dark eyelashes. Louis found her the more beautiful of the two, and he looked back at the blonde to try to find what it was Harry had noticed about her.

She blushed under his gaze, and he said “My friend says you’re pretty.”

“Oh,” Aggie said, and looked down past Louis to where Harry was still buying his ticket from the driver. “Want to take my number?”

“I’ll ask him whenever he’s done holding up the bus. I’m just gonna go grab us some seats, I’ll talk to you later.”

The girls waved him goodbye, and when Louis walked further down the aisle to the back of the bus he could feel their eyes on him. By the time he actually sat down though, they were facing the front again.

They watched Harry, who was doing his best not to look at them as he hurried up to where Louis was sitting. As he sat down Louis said “The blonde wants to give you her number.”

Harry spun around quick in his seat, eyes wide as he asked “What?”

“I went and spoke to those girls when you were getting your ticket and the blonde is into you.”

“What did she say?”

“Just that you can have her number if you want it.”

Harry pursed his lips thoughtfully then looked to where the girls were sitting. They were both looking at him, turning away shyly when they got caught. “What should I do?”

“Just go up and introduce yourself.”

“Can you come?”

“Christ, you never spoken to a girl or something?” Louis scoffed. “Just go up and say hi and get her number. I’ve already done the hard work, I’m not walking down there with you.”

“Oh. Okay,” Harry said, his eyes fixed to the back of their heads. His face was a little pink and the knuckles of his hand that was gripping the seat in front of them were bone white. “I’ll just go and introduce myself then.”

He stood up when the bus stopped at some traffic lights, and Louis watched him amble his way down the aisle, his hands shoved in the pockets of his blazer. When Harry finally got to the girls Louis’ stomach twisted up, and he quickly blamed nerves. He couldn’t consider the notion that it was jealousy he was feeling because he was _not_ going to crush on his newest friend. He _refused._

Harry was only with them for a few seconds before he pulled out his phone from his back trousers pocket.

Louis turned to look out of the window instead of watching Harry and the girls, distracting himself by counting the houses he passed. It was a tactic he’d been taught when he was younger, to count anything and everything when he needed out of his own head.

He hadn’t realised it wasn’t entirely working until there was a hand on his fingers, flattening them against the back of the seat in front to stop him drumming them.

Louis looked to Harry, at his red cheeks and sweaty forehead. Harry blushed redder under his appraisal and said “You’re very fidgety, aren’t you?”

Louis shrugged, and turned back to the window. “You gonna call her?”

“She – she wanted you to have her number.”

“What?” Louis asked, snapping back to face his friend. “She said that?”

Harry nodded, then cleared his throat. “She said she was flattered about me calling her pretty but it’s actually you she’s interested in. She said I look a bit young.”

“Fuck,” Louis groaned. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know!”

“I know,” Harry shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“Did you at least get her friend’s number? She was hotter, anyway.”

Harry ignored the question to ask his own. “How come you don’t want her number? Have you got a girlfriend?”

Louis fish mouthed for a moment, deliberating whether or not he should just come right out and tell Harry he was gay. Only his closest friends at school knew, and he trusted them not to tell anyone else. He just couldn’t be bothered with the drama of everyone knowing, he didn’t want to deal with the looks he was given by boys at school he didn’t even know or care about. He decided to answer “She’s just not my type,” and prayed the conversation was done with.

“You don’t like blondes? I could get the other girl’s number for you?”

“Its fine,” Louis said with a wave of his hand. “Now tell me, was that your first time asking a girl for her number?”

Harry went red and looked down at his lap, his hair falling into his eyes and hiding them. “I don’t really have any opportunity to see girls,” he muttered. “I went to an all-boys primary as well.”

“Ahh,” Louis nodded. “I see. Your one of _those_ guys.”

“What’s that meant to mean?” Harry snapped, eyes back up and onto Louis.

“There’s loads of them at school, so it’s not a big deal. Liam was one before I set him right.”

“Loads of what?”

“Guys that haven’t had any female interaction. Guys that don’t know how to speak to girls.”

“I’ve got a sister!”

Louis rolled his eyes. “They obviously don’t count. I mean, you went to a same sex primary school and now you’re at a same sex secondary so you don’t have any place to meet girls. I’m guessing you don’t take the bus or train home?” Louis asked, and when Harry shook his head he carried on. “So you have no real chance to meet girls, do you?”

“No.” Harry grunted. “It sucks, too. I’ve never had a girlfriend, never kissed a girl, I’ve barely even _spoken_ to one.”

“I can help you out with that,” Louis promised. “You said you’ve got this party on Saturday night, right? We’ll get you your first kiss there.”

Harry grinned wide. “We will?”

“Yep!” Louis said, popping the p. “Maybe we’ll even get you two!”

“Might be pushing it,” Harry snorted, but he was grinning when he said it.

His smile remained on his face for the entire bus trip, Louis making it his duty to keep it on there.

Entertaining people was what Louis did best; was what made him happiest. He wasn’t all that great at anything else but even he could admit he was funny. When he wasn’t trying too hard, anyway.

They got off the bus as Louis warned of his four sisters and how Harry had best be prepared for a game of twenty questions when they got through the front door.

Harry was guffawing into his palm and Louis thought that the choking laughter may be his new favourite sound. It was unbridled and unforced and made Louis feel all floaty, like he was made of air and could lift off the ground any moment.

The walk home was short, made quicker by the constant chatter between them, and when they got into the house Louis was surprised that none of his siblings were waiting for him.

There was a note stuck to the fridge from his mum, saying they were all at the dentist, and Louis shrugged.

He opened the fridge and said “Grab me some cups and I’ll pour us a juice.”

Harry followed Louis’ finger point to a cupboard above the microwave and grabbed two of the biggest cups he could find. As he passed them to Louis he said “I like your kitchen.”

Louis raised an eyebrow, then looked around at the mess covering the counter. There were dishes piled by the sink and cereal boxes from that morning on the table. Daisy had tried to pour her own corn flakes for breakfast and there were some scattered on the floor beneath a chair. “Mum works, all right?” he snapped defensively, and Harry’s eyes widened in shock.

“I’m being serious! Mine always looks like it’s from a stupid home decorating magazine, it feels like I shouldn’t be in there. This feels proper homey, I like it.”

Louis grunted a thanks, still disbelieving of Harry’s apparent sincerity but wanting to let the subject go. He liked his house but he was well aware of the fact that it was not typical of someone from his school. Most of his fellow students lived in ridiculously big and fancy flats or mega mansions, and judging by Harry’s description of his kitchen Louis figured his new mate did as well.

It made Louis feel instantly self-conscious, so he poured their juice silently, feeling hot under the collar as Harry ambled to his fridge to look at all the pictures and notices stuck onto it with alphabet magnets.

He cleared his throat, and when Harry spun around Louis pointed to his full glass. “We only had apple.”

“Great!” Harry grinned and picked up his juice, taking a large drink. “My mum doesn’t let us have juice. Too much sugar.”

Louis’ jaw dropped. “You’re seventeen, right? I know kids that go to school with my sisters that have sugar restrictions but I can’t say I’ve ever met someone our age with one.”

Harry shrugged, and Louis grabbed some crisps from the pantry before heading up to his room.

When they were both sitting on Louis’ bed, Harry announced “You said _our_ age.”

Louis broke open the crisp packet as he asked “What?”

“Before, you said our age. Does this mean you’re not gonna call me kid anymore, now that you’re acknowledging my actual age?”

Louis scoffed. “You’ll always be kid, kid.”

“Okay,” Harry shrugged. “I kind of like it, anyway.”

“So fucking weird,” Louis muttered just loud enough for Harry to hear, grinning as he shook his head. He held out the crisp packet, and just as Harry held out his hand to take it Louis pulled it back to his chest with a furrowed brow. “Should I be letting you have these? Would your mother be mad?”

“Twat,” Harry laughed and snatched the crisps from his hands. “These don’t have much sugar, just salt.”

Louis scoffed “You’re like a walking talking nutritional guide, aren’t you?”

And Harry just shrugged, munching on his crisps as he looked about Louis’ room.

Louis drummed his fingers against his thighs, trying to stave off the itch he was feeling under his skin to just _move_. If he was with any of his other mates he would have tackled them to the bed by now, instigating a wrestling match or something to release his pent up energy, but Harry didn’t look like he’d be up for that. He looked too sweet and delicate, looking around himself with wide eyes, his jaw moving while he ate, unaware of Louis’ eyes on him.

Besides, Louis would probably get a boner if he straddled Harry’s waist during a fight and he didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness.

“Who’s that?” Harry asked, pointing to a poster on the wall.

“A Donnie Rovers’ player.”

Harry’s face crumpled up as he asked “You don’t support Man U?”

“Nah, I’m from Doncaster originally, just moved here when I was eleven ‘cause Mum wanted to send me to a good school and she figured Manchester would be where they’re at.”

Harry hummed, and Louis began pinching at the skin of his arm.

“So,” Louis cleared his throat. “What do you want to do?”

“What have you got to do?”

“Xbox? We could kick a ball around in the yard? We could get our homework done if you want…” Louis trailed off, all out of ideas.

It was silent again, awkwardly so, until Harry said “Let’s do our homework then play some Xbox.”

Louis nodded his head and got off the bed so he could go grab their school bags from where they’d dropped them at the front door. When he came back up to his room, Harry was already clearing a space on Louis’ desk.

When he heard Louis enter he spun around and said “How do you work here? There’s so much mess.”

Louis shrugged and dropped their bags on the bed. “I don’t, I can’t even remember the last time I did homework. None of my teachers check it so I don’t bother.”

“What about when you’ve got assignments?”

“I just do them on my bed I suppose, or at school during free periods.”

Harry tutted at him, and Louis quipped “If you’re gonna be a bloody parent about this then you can sod off to your own house!”

Harry’s eyes grew wide and he was quick to apologise, saying “My mum is always on me about my work as soon as I get home, I’m just surprised!”

“My mum’s got better shit to do. More to worry about.” Louis grunted, then dropped onto his bed and began rifling through his school bag. “You can do your homework, I only suggested it ‘cause I thought you wouldn’t choose it. I’ll do something else. Gotta look for this biology text book.”

Harry nodded and approached Louis, very slowly and carefully, to get his own school bag from the bed. He sat on Louis’ chair and pulled out some books from his bag, then muttered “I only want to do it so that Mum will let me come over again. If I come home without having my work done I know she won’t let me ever again.”

“It’s fine.” Louis said back, guilt squeezing at his stomach. “Sorry for snapping.”

Harry shrugged “It’s okay,” and began his work.

Louis just watched him, how his pen moved swiftly over his exercise book, his back hunched over the desk. Eventually his tongue poked out to lick at his lips and Louis couldn’t tear his eyes from Harry’s mouth.

He jumped when Harry shut the last of his books and rubbed at his eyes, looking blearily at Louis to ask “What’s the time?”

Louis pulled his phone from his pocket and said “Five twenty,” surprised himself that thirty minutes had passed and he hadn’t even moved from the bed. “Mum should be home soon.”

Harry nodded, hands on his thighs, playing with the fabric of his trousers.

Louis broke the awkward silence by clearing his throat and saying “Want to go down and play Fifa now?”

“Okay,” Harry grinned, and Louis hadn’t realised how much he’d missed the sight of Harry’s smile until it was stretching wide over his face.

When they got down to the living room, Louis switched on the telly just as his sisters came bursting through the front door.

“Louis!” he heard Pheobe yell, and he held up a finger to Harry to say _just wait_ before hurrying to see what she wanted.

As soon as he got into the hallway his sisters were on him, all wrapping their arms around him as they yelled over each other about what they had done at the dentist.

His mum came bustling through the door with a few Sainsbury’s bags in her hands, saying “Hey love,” before she carried them into the kitchen.

“Mum!” Louis called after her. “I got a mate over, okay?”

“Of course, dear! Is it Liam?”

“Nah, a new one!” he replied, and at that all his sisters were rushing past to see who it was.

Louis quickly helped his mum put the few groceries away before heading back into the living room to check on Harry.

He was just sitting on the rug in front of the Xbox, disk in hand, blinking like a deer caught in headlights with Louis’ sisters in a circle around him.

“Uh,” he said. “Hi?”

And immediately the four girls were chatting at him, introducing themselves and asking all sorts of questions.

“What’s your favourite animal?” Pheobe asked at the same time Lottie said “How old are you?”

Fizzy and Daisy demanded to know his name and how come they hadn’t seen him before, and Louis just stood and watched with a big grin on his face.

Harry looked at him pleadingly, so Louis figured it was time to shoo them away.

“You can stay and watch us if you’re really quiet.” He said when they wouldn’t leave, and they all agreed.

Louis plopped down on the sofa while Harry put the disk in the Xbox and grabbed the controllers. Harry passed him one and sat on the floor in front of Louis, all the other seats taken by the girls.

It was quite nice, playing with Harry.

He had this strangely calm presence about him that subdued Louis, and even his sisters were dead silent as they played.

Usually Louis would be jumping about, diving on his mates any time he scored a goal against them, but with Harry he didn’t feel the need to.

Eventually Harry leant back against Louis’ legs, warming them up and calming him down further.

“You staying for dinner, love?” Louis’ mum asked, popping her head in. When she saw the girls she laughed and said “My goodness, it’s quiet in here. What happened?”

The girls all answered at once while Louis nudged Harry’s back and asked “Will your mum let you?”

Harry leant his head backwards to rest it on Louis’ knees and said “Yeah, should be fine. I’ll see if she can pick me up though, I don’t really wanna bus home in the dark.”

Louis would have teased any of his other friends if they’d admitted that, but he found himself nodding and calling to his mum “Harry will stay for tea.”

Dinner came and went too fast, Harry eating everything and thanking Louis’ mum profusely, offering to wash the dishes up afterwards.

His mum didn’t quite know what to do with Harry’s manners, Louis could tell; she flushed pink and went a bit giggly at his flatteries.

Louis carried in his sisters’ plates from the table, putting them by the sink where Harry was washing up, and said “I think my mum’s in love with you.”

Harry grinned and said “I’m glad, I think I love her too.”

“Christ, when’s the wedding?” Louis scoffed, rolling his eyes, and Harry chuckled under his breath.

His fringe had fallen into his eyes and he kept trying to shake his head to get the bit of hair out of the way, his hands too sudsy and wet to swipe it with his fingers.

Without thinking Louis said “Look at me,” and when Harry faced him he pushed his hand through Harry’s hair, getting it clear of his eyes. “There,” Louis grinned, and Harry went pink as he spluttered out a thanks.

Then he said “Mum’ll be here in twenty.”

“All right.”

“I had fun,” Harry admitted. “Loads of fun. I really like your home.”

“Come over any time,” Louis shrugged. “We aren’t going anywhere fast.”

“Yeah?” Harry looked hopeful as he’d asked, and Louis felt an odd tugging in his heart.

“Yeah, ‘course. My sisters won’t let you off so easy next time, mind.”

Harry shrugged. “That’s okay, I liked them.”

Louis got a tea towel out of the drawer to dry the dishes just as his mum walked into the room to put a few more things from the table away.

Louis ignored her as she made a big show and dance about him doing the dishes, rolling his eyes when Harry laughed.

“You should come over more often, love, you’re already making an honest man out of my son!” she joked, and Harry beamed at her.

“I’d love to Mrs Tomlinson.”

“Call me Jay,” she smiled back, and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good measure. She gave Louis a peck too, hugging him tight when he pulled a disgusted face. “I’m just going to go get the twins ready for bed.”

“Mum’ll be here soon, I think. It was nice meeting you,” Harry was quick to say before she left the room.

“My pleasure,” she waved her hand. “and come again soon!”

“Promise!”

When his mum had finally gone, Louis knocked Harry’ in the hip with his own and said “You really are in love, aren’t you? I don’t think you can be my mate anymore, not if you’re planning on being my new dad.”

“Oh, sod off!” Harry laughed. “I’d rather be your mate than your dad so I think we’ll have to call off the wedding.” Before Louis could even think of something to quip back with, Harry was taking the towel from Louis to dry his hands and saying “Hang on.”

Louis carried on drying the dishes as Harry pulled out his phone from his pocket, looking at the screen and grunting that his Mum was outside. Louis asked “Should I come meet her?”

And Harry shrugged his shoulders “If you want.”

Louis dropped the towel on the counter and followed Harry out into the hallway, remembering Harry’s school bag at the last minute and running upstairs to fetch it from his room.

Harry waited for him by the front door and then they left the house together.

There was a shiny black Range Rover pulled up in front of Louis’ house that could only have been Harry’s Mum. She rolled down the passenger window and waved, and Louis smiled politely.

“Hello miss!” he called with a little wave of his own.

Harry opened the passenger door and said “This is Louis, my new mate.”

“The older boy?” Louis heard her ask, and when Harry nodded she was back to looking at him with a slightly dimmer smile. “Thanks for having him, darling!”

“You’re welcome, miss, it was no bother!”

“Why are you two talking about me as if I’m some kid he just babysat?” Harry sulked, and his Mum ruffled his hair with her fingers.

“You’re my baby, that’s why.” She cooed, and Louis could make out Harry’s blush even with how dark it was out.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Harry said to Louis. “And tell your mum thanks again for having me!”

“I will,” Louis laughed. “See you!”

 He only went back inside when Harry’s car was no longer in sight, and he was in the kitchen putting away the last of the dishes when he saw his own mum again.

“So, Harry huh?” was all she said, knowing grin on her face.

“Shutup.” Louis answered, trying to get rid of his own smile but failing miserably. “He’s just a mate.”

\---

Harry was waiting for him at his locker before school the following morning, replacement football in his hands.

“A Nike one?” Louis grinned as he caught it. “I told you mine was shit.”

Harry shrugged. “It’s not new or anything, I just got it from home. I’ve got loads that I’ve never even used and this is one of them.”

Louis shoved it in his locker as he said “Thanks. What do you have now?”

“Double geography.”

“With Mr. Peterson?” Louis asked, and when Harry nodded he added “He’s my form teacher. Right twat, he is.”

“I don’t mind him.”

Louis gave him a pointed glare. “You don’t _mind_ him?”

“He’s nice enough to me. Bloody boring though. I hate geography.”

“Same. I left it as soon as I could so I didn’t have to deal with that knob any longer than I had to.” Louis slammed his locker shut and turned to fully face Harry. “I better get heading to registration now, he gives me a detention any time I’m late.”

“All right,” Harry said with a nod and a grin, then he wrapped his arms around Louis and squeezed tight. “I’ll see you later.”

Louis pulled back from him, cheeks pink as he gruffly asked “What was that for?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to. Bye Lou.” And Harry spun on his heels and headed off down the hallway, presumably towards his own form room, leaving Louis blinking after him.

The rest of the week was a blur of Harry, the boy implanting himself in Louis’ life as if he’d always been there.

He would wait for Louis in the mornings to say hello, then find him during breaks, then walk him to the bus stop after school. The two St Anne’s girls would give them a small smile each afternoon, but Harry would ignore them in favour of talking to Louis and his mates.

Louis was impressed with how quickly Harry had been accepted by his friends; they weren’t the warmest lads around. They could be a bit pratty and cruel, especially to younger or quieter students, but Harry had been welcomed with open arms.

It probably had something to do with the party they knew Harry was taking Louis to on the weekend and they wanted an invite themselves, but either Harry was playing dumb or he really was ignorant because he didn’t extend one to them. The only other person he’d invited was some friend of his called Niall that Louis was yet to meet, but according to Harry he had a broken foot and so hadn’t been at school for the last week.

“The doctor said he’s fine to come to school, he just has to wear a boot, but he’s got his dad under his thumb so he’s just been in bed watching telly and eating crisps for the last five days.” Harry had laughed. “He’ll miraculously be better for Saturday I’m sure.”

By the time the day had rolled around, Louis was a bit nervous and he had no idea why.

He’d been to loads of parties, he went clubbing every other Saturday, so there was no real reason for his stomach to be flipping like it was.

He got to Harry’s at about eight as the other boy had asked, texting him when he was outside so he wouldn’t have to ring the doorbell and risk disturbing Harry’s parents.

Harry was flushed and sweaty when he answered the door, dragging Louis into his house and saying “I need help!” as greeting.

Louis didn’t get to examine Harry’s place as well as he’d have liked with how quickly he was pulled after his mate. When he first got in Harry pulled off his coat and shoved it in a cupboard beside the front door, so he managed to get a look at the hallway for a few seconds, but then after that all he could take in was that Harry’s house was shiny and clean and white before he was shoved into Harry’s bedroom.

“I don’t know what to wear!” Harry groaned, flopping down onto his bed dramatically. He covered his eyes with his forearm and groaned again, and Louis could only laugh.

“Just wear whatever. Don’t look slobby, but also don’t try too hard.”

Harry peeked at him from beneath his arm, eyes running over Louis from head to toe and back up again. “You look so _good_ , I can’t pull that off!”

 _You can pull it all off if you want,_ Louis thought before he could stop himself. He turned from Harry to hide his guilty blush, heading over to Harry’s wardrobe and opening it up. It was filled with collared shirts and Banana Republic jumpers and Louis had to smile at how cliché rich boy it all was.

“Do you not have any plain shirts? What do you wear on the weekend? You can’t wear any of this, you’ll look like you’re going to bloody church.”

Harry rolled off his bed and stood at Louis’ side, biting his lip as he examined his clothes. He pulled out a pile of neatly folded shirts and dropped them on his bed, saying to Louis “Go through those.”

Louis sat beside the pile and carded through it, pulling out the few shirts that didn’t have a brand name splashed over the front. He threw Harry a plain white shirt, and the boy was quick to tug off his current top and put on the new one.

“You’ve got abs,” Louis blurted, and turned bright pink at his stupidity.

Not as pink as Harry though, who blushed dark before looking down at his stomach. “Yeah, I play a lot of sport in the summer. Mum makes me do tennis and cricket and that.”

“Of course. Polo and golf, too, I imagine?” Louis laughed, and Harry sighed and rolled his eyes.

“You must think I’m the biggest twat,” Harry said with a smile, but it was small and self-conscious and Louis felt like a knob.

“Nah, it’s cute. You’re a proper Mummy’s boy.”

Harry didn’t reply, just dropped his hands to his side and peered into his wardrobe again. He grabbed a pair of jeans and dropped them on the bed beside Louis before pulling down his trackies.

He was wearing briefs that didn’t leave much to the imagination, and Louis had to look away quickly before his eyes got stuck on Harry’s crotch.

Louis tugged at the hem of his striped blue and white shirt, then scratched at a little stain he spotted on his beige trousers. It was reddish, probably ketchup, so he licked his finger and rubbed at it.

“So?” Harry asked, and Louis looked back up to see him standing there with his arms out at his side, eyebrows raised questioningly.

“You look good,” Louis replied gruffly. “Do you not have any tighter jeans though?”

“No,” Harry grimaced.

“You’ll have to get some for next time, but these will do for tonight.”

Harry sighed. “I don’t want to _just do_.”

“Well unless your sister is the same size as you then you’ll just have to cope.”

Harry pursed his lips thoughtfully. “I think she might be, actually. Hang on!”

And at that he ran out of his room, leaving Louis sitting there alone on his bed. It meant he finally had the opportunity to take in his surroundings.

Harry’s room was spotless, everything perfectly arranged on his shelves and his desk completely empty apart from a lamp and a MacBook in the centre. Louis got up to examine his books and CDs, grinning when he realised they were all organised alphabetically.

Louis picked up a trophy that was being used as a book stop, smiling at the little _Best and Fairest Player_ engraving.

“I found some!” Harry yelled as he ran back into the room, startling Louis into dropping it. He picked it up quickly and put it back on the shelf before turning around, and his throat went dry. Harry looked _sinful,_ his jeans black and tight, his nipples hard and peaking through his shirt. His hair was soft and curly around his face, his cheeks were flushed and his lips were pink and wet and pulled up into a wide grin. “Well?”

Louis swallowed audibly and grunted “Good” and when Harry’s smile faltered he added “Really good. Lovely.”

Harry laughed at that, and walked over to his full length mirror to admire himself. “Can you tell these are girl jeans? They’re a bit tight on my dick and they’re riding up my arse a bit but I think they look good.”

“Yeah,” Louis got out, eyes fixed to his crotch. “I mean, no, you can’t tell. You look amazing.”

“Cheers,” Harry said as he turned to face him. “I’ll just put on some shoes and we can go. Niall’s gonna meet us there a bit later.”

Louis nodded and trailed after Harry, following him out into the hallway and watching him open the coat cupboard. Harry put on some black Converses and looked at his coat, obviously considering whether or not he should bring it.

“We’re only going next door, right? No need for it.”

“It’s freezing outside though.”

“Beauty is pain,” Louis joked, and Harry grinned at him before shutting the closet door.

“I’m going!” Harry called out, so loud and sudden Louis jumped, and within seconds Harry’s mum was in the hallway before them.

“Hello, Louis. I didn’t know you were here.” She said politely.

“I haven’t been for long, Mrs Styles. It’s nice to see you again,” he replied with a smile. He’d never felt so awkward; usually around parents he was mischievous and witty, but something about Harry’s mum made him nervous as all hell.

“You too, dear. Are you going to Ed’s dinner party, too?”

Louis could only nod in response before Harry was pushing him out the door, kissing his mum on the cheek before leaving the house too.

“Where are your coats?” she called out after them, and Harry waved at her before taking Louis’ hand and pulling him down his driveway.

“We’re going to a dinner party?” Louis scoffed.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Of course not, I only told her that so she’d let me go.”

“You’re seventeen, right?”

“Mum still doesn’t like me going to parties,” Harry explained. “It’s just easier to lie about this rather than tell her the truth and have her texting me every ten minutes. Ed’s quite a bit older than us, he’s more my sister’s friend than mine.”

Ed’s house wasn’t exactly next door like Louis had assumed, and after walking for five minutes he whined “If I’d known it was this far I would have worn a coat.” His arms were crossed tight over his chest, his skin was all goose bumpy and he could feel his lips going blue. Harry looked just as cold, so Louis linked their arms and tucked himself into his side.

“You fit right in there,” Harry grumbled through chattering teeth. “Like a puzzle.”

Louis hummed, his cheeks warming before the rest of him could. “How far?”

“Just three houses down now.”

They ran up the driveway as best they could, stumbling because they refused to unlink their arms, and they found themselves in fits of hysterics when they got to Ed’s front door.

They were still laughing when Harry’s friend answered, and the guy rolled his eyes and pulled them inside.

“The two of you are blue,” Ed chastised fondly. “Come in and warm up, just the sight of you is making me cold.”

“I’m Louis,” he introduced himself as he followed the older guy through his house. There were tonnes of people crammed into every little space, some indie rock song blaring loud. It wasn’t the usual type of party Louis went to, everyone dressed in their hipster best and standing around in groups chatting and swaying to the music, wine glasses in hand.

“I’ve heard,” the man grinned over his shoulder at him. “I’m Ed.”

He led them into the sitting room and told them to sit on the sofa, disappearing for only a moment to get them a woollen blanket. He threw it over their laps and left again to get them a drink.

Harry pulled the blanket up until it was covering his shoulders, and Louis did the same. Just having his mate pressed so close against him, not a gap between them from their knees to their shoulders, had Louis heating up quickly.

Ed gave them a glass of red wine each and Louis tried not to let his disdain show.

“It’ll warm you up, I promise.”

Louis took a gulp and resisted the urge to cringe, while Harry seemed to enjoy his sip.

“I’ll come back to you two in a second, yeah? Just got a few friends to say hi to.” Ed excused himself, ruffling Harry’s hair before he left.

“This is so rank,” Louis blurted, putting his drink down on the coffee table. “I wonder if anyone here has vodka, or are they all too posh?”

“Someone should,” Harry shrugged. “I know Ed does somewhere. He’s not posh.”

Louis made a show of looking around himself, at the ornate paintings on the walls and the modern furniture, then gave Harry a pointed stare.

“I mean, he’s wealthy, sure. But he’s not a prat about it or anything. He’s cool.”

“All right,” Louis said with a roll of his eyes.

“Just give them a chance, Lou.”

Louis nodded his head and forced another gulp of wine down his throat. Ed had been right, it was definitely warming him up. “Wanna go check the place out? We’ve got to find you a girl.”

They walked through the kitchen, then the dining room, and stopped in the lounge room where the majority of people were hanging out in. Louis was looking around, trying to find Harry a girl to talk to, when he caught the eye of a really fit guy.

He was tall with swoopy brown hair and tanned skin, and he gave Louis an obvious once over before smiling.

Louis felt his cheeks flush pink before he quickly looked away, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth.

“What is it?” Harry asked, looking behind him to see who could have made Louis blush like that. “You found someone pretty?”

“Something like that,” Louis murmured. “Want to go talk to those girls? They’re probably the only ones anywhere near our age.”

Harry followed Louis’ line of sight and grinned wide, so Louis took that as a yes and made is way over to them.

There were three of them in a tight little circle, swaying to the music and sipping on their drinks but not talking to each other, so Louis fit himself in beside a girl with honey coloured hair and introduced himself. He turned to introduce Harry but the boy was hanging back a few metres, eyes wide and unsure. Louis waved him over and said “Sorry, Harry is a bit shy,” and the girls were immediately endeared.

They were all pretty and polite and funny, and one of the blondes asked Harry if he could come with her to get a drink, so he took her hand and went off with her.

The one with honey hair put her hand on Louis’ shoulder and he blurted “I’m gay” and she just smiled knowingly.

“I’ll introduce you to my friend,” she said. “But first let’s get you something better to drink.”

With a whisky and coke in hand Louis followed her to her friend, who was of course the fit guy he’d seen earlier.

“Hey,” Louis said with a grin, and after a very short conversation he was on the guy’s lap, snogging him breathless.

“Come back to mine,” he murmured into Louis’ neck, and for a split second he’d almost nodded yes.

“I can’t,” Louis said before he closed the gap between their lips.

He felt hands squeezing his arse and swallowed the man’s frustrated groan.

“Give me your number at least,” he begged, so when his lips were too bruised to carry on Louis gave it to him.

He climbed off and sought out Harry, finding him with a girl pressed against a wall and her tongue down his throat. He watched them awkwardly for a few seconds before Ed appeared at his side, slapping a hand down on his shoulder.

“You two have been busy,” he said with a grin. “You been telling them you’re still in school?”

“’course not,” Louis gruffly replied. “Don’t tell him, either.”

“Who?”

“That fit guy I was with.”

“Ahh, right. His name is Craig if you’re interested.”

Louis scrunched up his nose. “I wish you hadn’t told me that because he’s become about ten times less attractive.”

Ed laughed loud, then had to excuse himself to get the door, leaving Louis alone again.

Only for a moment though, because soon enough he was returning to Louis with a blonde boy in tow.

The guy was on crutches and had his foot in a cast so Louis figured it was Niall, and was proved right when he introduced himself as such.

“Louis,” he replied, holding out his hand for him to shake. “Harry’s got himself a girl.”

Louis nudged his head back and Niall looked behind him, grinning wide when he spotted his friend. “Well, good on ‘im I ‘spose. How did he manage that?”

“Not quite sure. Last time I saw him he was with another bird.”

“Fancy that,” Niall laughed. “I don’t suppose you know where I could find a beer?”

“No idea, I’ve been drinking Ed’s fancy spirits and wine all night. Let’s go looking.”

They managed to find some in the vegetable crisper of the fridge, taking a couple each and heading off into the sitting room.

“Have you been here before?” Niall asked him. “This is my first time, but I’ve met Ed a couple of times at Harry’s.”

“Tonight’s the first time I’ve met him. I only met Harry a few days ago.”

Niall crinkled up his nose and looked at him with a furrowed brow. “And he invited you to this?”

“Yeah,” Louis shrugged. “I found it pretty weird too, but he’s a good kid.”

“Yeah, Harry’s nice.”

“So how’d you break your foot?”

“You'll have to asked Harry that,” Niall said with a grin. 

Louis just raised an eyebrow, and Niall raised one of his own back, and then they both burst into laughter. After that any awkwardness between them was cleared from the air.

Niall was easy to talk to and laughed at all of Louis’ jokes, and by the time Harry found them they were practically in each others’ laps drunkenly confessing their undying love for each other.

“Harry!” Niall cheered when his mate sat on the other side of him and he put an arm over his shoulder. “Good work with the girl you pulled.”

“Yeah,” Harry agreed with pouted lips.

“How was it?” Louis asked, and Harry sent him a look that had his blood freezing.

He was scowling, and Louis had no idea what he’d possibly done. Harry snapped out “Fine,” and the conversation was done with.

Niall cleared his throat and said “Right. Well, I’m gonna go find myself another beer. Want on, Lou?”

“I’m okay, I might head off.” He caught Harry turning to him out the corner of his eye but refused to acknowledge him, keeping his stare fixed on Niall.

Who booed and said “Nah mate, you can’t leave! What am I going to do then?”

“I’m sure Harry will keep you company,” Louis muttered. “Maybe he’ll find you a girl to snog now that he’s mastered it.”

Louis got off the sofa before Harry could respond, giving Niall a one-armed hug before heading towards the front door.

He felt Harry close on his heels but refused to turn around, and only acknowledged him when he was opening the door to leave.

“Bye then,” Louis said over his shoulder, then stepped out into the cold air.

“Wait,” Harry called from the doorway. “How are you getting home?”

Louis stopped, then frowned. “I’ll get the bus I guess.”

“From where?” Harry asked, folding his arms. “You can’t go home alone at this time, okay? You don’t even know where you’re going. Just stay at mine and I’ll drop you home in the morning.”

Louis scoffed. “You can barely even look at me right now and I don’t even know why you’re mad.” He finally turned fully to face Harry, who was looking at his toes with pink cheeks. He only looked up after Louis asked “Why are you mad?”

“I’m not mad,” he sighed. “I just – I don’t know. How come you didn’t tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That you’re – you know. I wouldn’t have cared. I don’t care.”

“I don’t know what you’re talk –”

“That you’re gay!” Harry interrupted, voice breaking halfway. “Or that you like boys, anyway.”

Louis shivered and crossed his arms over his chest, the chill in the air biting. “I’ve only known you a few days, I don’t need to tell you everything about myself right off the bat.”

“But we spoke about girls so often, there were so many times you could have said something!”

“Well I didn’t and I have my reasons for it,” he snapped, and another all-over body shiver ran through him. “It’s fucking cold so I’m going.”

“I’m coming with you then.” Harry slammed the door behind him and walked up to Louis, who was shivering uncontrollably. He just looked into his eyes for a moment, jaw set, before sighing and pulling Louis into his side.

Louis was pissed off, but he was too cold to pull away. He stayed huddled into Harry as they walked in silence, only broken when Louis asked “Should you tell Niall you’ve gone?”

Harry nodded and pulled out his phone from his pocket, keeping his arm linked through Louis’ as he typed out a message.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you,” Louis muttered, teeth chattering. “I just didn’t see the point yet.”

“What do you mean?” Harry prompted carefully.

“We haven’t exactly been friends for long and I wasn’t sure if we’d still be friends next week. How do I know you don’t do this all the time? Invite random guys into your life on a whim? I wasn’t gonna tell you personal shit about myself only to have you forget about me in a few days.”

Harry thought for a moment before answering with “I don’t. I’ve noticed you since I first started. I remember on my very first day of school, when I was nervous and sick and wanted to go home, you walked past me with your mates and you smiled at me and I suddenly felt okay. I haven’t been stalking you or anything, but I always saw you around and I wanted to be your friend so bad. When I saw you in detention I figured it’d be the perfect time to say hi. It’s why I’ve been bugging you ever since. I want you to be my friend so much.”

Louis didn’t quite know what to say at that, so he stayed silent. He just pulled his arm from where it was linked through Harry’s to put it around his waist instead, pulling him closer. He still felt tense at Louis’ side so he murmured “I want to be your friend too.”

“Good. I’m sorry for getting mad, it was stupid. You don’t have to tell me stuff if you don’t want to. I don’t really know why I got mad, anyway.”

“It’s okay,” Louis replied. “Should we run back to yours? I think my balls are gonna fall off I’m so cold.”

They sprinted back as quickly as they could, and Harry fumbled his key with numb hands to open the front door.

All the lights were off, Harry’s family obviously gone to bed already, so they tiptoed to his bedroom and carefully closed the door behind them.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay?” Louis whispered as Harry turned on the light.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Louis looked pointedly at the double bed, but Harry just furrowed his brows in confusion. He felt stupid for it, but he had assumed that Harry finding out about his sexuality would mean he would be uncomfortable sharing beds. His friends usually made him sleep on a mattress on the ground or on their sofa, of if they ever did let him sleep in their bed they’d always stick a pillow in the middle so he wouldn’t touch them. That obviously hadn’t occurred to Harry, so Louis just said “Your mum might not like it.”

“Oh,” Harry shrugged. “She won’t care. She’d rather you stay than have you bussing home so late. You want some pyjamas?”  

Louis nodded his head and Harry grabbed him a shirt and bottoms from his bedside drawer. There was an awkward moment where he wasn’t sure if he was meant to change right there on the spot or go into the bathroom, but when Harry started stripping he figured he should too.

They brushed their teeth in silence, Louis just using a bit of toothpaste on his finger, and they didn’t speak until they were under the covers.

“What was your first kiss like?” Harry whispered into the dark room.

Louis rolled from his back to his side to face Harry. “It was nothing special. I was twelve and it was during a game of spin the bottle.”

Harry turned his face to look at Louis, right in his eyes as he asked “Was that with a girl?”

“Yeah.”

“When was you first kiss with a boy?”

Louis paused a moment, searching Harry’s face questioningly. None of his friends ever asked him about this stuff. None of them ever wanted to know, but Harry simply looked curious. “When I was sixteen.”

“How was that?”

“Not much better. It was with this boy I used to know through my Mum. We were just hanging out in my room and he freaked out afterwards and I never saw him again. I suppose the kiss itself was okay. He just turned out to be a prick.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said sincerely.

He looked genuinely sad, so Louis muttered “It’s okay, I’ve had plenty of good kisses to make up for it. Tell me about yours.”

Harry flushed pink then rolled onto his back and looked up at the roof, twisting his mouth up before answering. “It was wet.”

A short burst of laughter fell from Louis’ lips before he quickly covered his mouth with his hand. After he managed to reduce his muffled giggles to a wide grin he asked “Wet?”

“Yeah,” Harry replied with his own big smile. “Wet. And sort of – pokey. With the tongues and stuff. I wasn’t very good, I don’t think. I was better with the second girl.”

“So you kissed that blonde too? I only saw you kissing the brunette one.”

Harry looked embarrassed when he nodded “Yep. She made an excuse to leave after a minute though so I knew I was shit.”

“It’s all right, you’ll get better after some practice.”

“I hope so.” Harry muttered. He let out a sigh, then turned back to face Louis. “How far have you gone?”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you had sex?”

“Oh!” it was Louis’ turn to blush. “I have, yeah. Not a lot, but yeah I have.”

“With girls or guys?”

“Just guys.”

“How does that work?”

Louis felt hot all over, from the tips of his toes to his scalp. He’d never talked like this to any of his mates, or any of the guys he’d been with either. Talking about sex and kissing and boys was new to him and he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by it all. He didn’t like the feeling, it was too close to shame, so he rolled away from Harry and murmured “Just watch a porno or something. I’m tired, Haz, can we just go to sleep?”

There was a pause before Harry said “Okay. I – good night.”

Louis waited until the noise of the blankets shifting and the bed squeaking as Harry rolled over subsided before he grunted “Night.”

He stared at the blinking red numbers on the alarm clock beside his head until he heard Harry’s breathing even out, then he shut his own eyes and willed his heartbeat to slow down. His skin was thrumming with the need for Harry’s touch, his fingers twitching with the want to reach behind him to take the boy’s hand and pull it to his chest. Louis hadn’t felt that jittering in his nerves all evening, that inescapable desire to fidget and move. He rolled onto his stomach and trapped his hands beneath his thighs, finding comfort in the pressure supplied by the weight of his body.

“You asleep?” he heard from beside him, but he didn’t reply. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing and tried to stay as still as he could when he felt a hand lie flat on his lower back.

Harry began to draw shapes over his shirt and the shouts of _what does this mean?_ in Louis’ head were softened to whispers. He found solace with the swirls and lines made by Harry’s fingertip, and despite it feeling impossible mere minutes before he fell almost immediately into sleep.

\---

Louis woke sweaty and gasping for air, pushing the hot body away from him before registering who it was.

Harry fell from the bed with a shout and a thump, and seconds later his bedroom door was flying open and his mum was running into the room.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, a worry in her voice that Louis had never heard from his own mum. It was dramatic and ridiculous given the circumstances.

“Fine,” Harry grunted. “I just fell.”

She let her eyes move to Louis, and her surprise was so over the top it had to be faked. “Hello, darling. I didn’t know you were staying, I would have made the guest room up for you!”

Louis sat up straighter in the bed and pulled the blanket up to his waist. “It was kind of a split decision, miss. Sorry, I can go if you like.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said as she waved her hand. “You must stay for breakfast! My husband is doing a fry up. Do you like beans?”

“Oh. Umm, yes, I do.”

“And how do you like your eggs?”

“Normal?”

She smiled, and it was the first genuine one Louis had seen on her face. “Fried, poached, scrambled?”

“Oh, right.” Louis grinned bashfully. “Fried please. Sunny side up.”

“Harry?”

“Same,” he replied, then when his mum left the room he climbed up onto the bed. “What happened?”

Louis refused to look at him, embarrassment obvious in the flush of his cheeks that he didn’t want Harry to see. He stared fixedly at the open bedroom door and said “Not sure. I just remember waking up and feeling really hot.”

“Probably because I was hugging you too tight. Sorry,” he muttered. “We should probably get up now before Mum comes back in. She doesn’t like to have to say things twice.”

Louis swung his legs over the side of the bed and found his clothes on the floor.  Without a word he went into Harry’s ensuite, shutting the door before changing.

When Louis came out again Harry blurted “Are we okay? I didn’t mean to offend you or anything last night. Did I do that? With all my questions? I’ve just never met a gay person before. Are you even gay? You never said so but I’ve just assumed and that’s bad, right? I’m so sorry.”

Any nerves Louis had been feeling, any hesitance and embarrassment and shame, evaporated at how Harry was looking at him. He looked nervous as all hell, eyes wide and fists clenched and hair a frazzled mess about his face. Louis smiled small and said “We’re okay. And yeah, I’m gay. You did nothing wrong, love, its fine.” Harry nodded but he bit his lip, obviously still unsure, so Louis added “Honestly we’re still good. I’m just not used to talking about – this stuff with people.”

“What stuff?” Harry asked carefully.

“Guy stuff. Gay stuff. My mates never want to hear about it.”

“Okay. But you know I don’t mind if you want to talk to me about it, yeah? I like telling you stuff and I want you to tell me stuff too. Anything, okay? That’s what mates do.”

Louis didn’t understand it, how everything that came from Harry’s lips seemed so sincere. “Okay. Thanks, I – thanks.”

\---

Niall was back at school the following week, so Louis lost his Harry-shaped shadow.

They still saw each other around, and Harry still walked him to the bus stop every afternoon, but it felt odd not having the boy around him every moment.

Louis missed him terribly, and everything felt wrong, and it was stupid because he had only known Harry one week of the two hundred he’d had at that school.

He found himself behaving in class just so he wouldn’t be forced to stay in for lunch time detentions. Whenever he felt that thrumming beneath his skin he would think of Harry, about his touch and his grin and how Louis would get to see him soon if he just behaved, and the need to move and shout and disrupt everyone around him would immediately subside.

When Friday came round, and he’d sat through his obligatory six hours of school, he dived on Harry in excitement. They had the whole weekend to hang out with each other, and Liam was having a Halloween party the following night that he of course invited Harry to.

“We’ll get you some more kissing practice,” Louis laughed as they walked to the bus stop, hand thrown over Harry’s shoulder and Harry’s hand clinging to his waist.

Stan, one of Louis’ mates, turned around to eye them with a grin. “What’s this about kissing? You two at it then?”

“Don’t be a twat,” Louis scoffed, and kicked at his friend’s ankle for good measure. “Just talking about Liam’s party tomorrow night.”

“Ahh, right.” Stan nodded. “That guy gonna come?”

“What guy?” Harry asked, pouting at Louis.

Louis hadn’t told Harry, and Stan only knew because he’d snatched Louis’ phone off him the day before, but Craig had been texting him all week desperate to meet up. “The guy from Ed’s party. And nah, he’s not coming.”

Harry’s expression went blank, then he bit at his lip, then he asked in a deadpan voice “Why not?”

“’cause I haven’t invited him.”

“Well, you should,” Harry grunted. He pulled himself out from Louis’ grip and said “I forgot Mum wanted me home early tonight.”

Harry began walking backwards, and Louis grabbed his wrist and asked “But I thought you wanted to come over?”

“Can’t anymore, sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And then he turned on his heels and hurried away from them, back towards the school.

“What was that about?” Stan asked with a scrunched up face. “He jealous you got a boyfriend?”

“Shut up,” Louis snapped. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“You do though, really,” Another of Louis’ friends piped up.

“I’ve just texted the guy, he’s not my boyfriend!”

“I think he means Harry,” Stan laughed. “Who I’m telling you is jealous.”

Louis said nothing to that, too furious at his mates to come up with a witty retort. He knew they’d twist anything he’d say so he stayed silent for the rest of the walk to the bus stop, only saying bye to them when his bus came so he wouldn’t have to deal with their teasing if they thought he was still mad.

He called Harry as soon as he got home, and when his mate didn’t answer he called again and again until Harry did.

“What?” he snapped as a greeting.

“Hello to you too,” Louis harrumphed. “Are you going to tell me why you’re pissed off then?”

“Because you didn’t tell me about the guy!” Harry blurted, straight off the bat. Louis had expected he’d have to weasel the information out of him, or at least beg a few times for an answer. “You told your other friends and not me.”

“I didn’t _tell_ them. Only Stan knew and that was because he saw me texting and grabbed my phone to see who it was.”

Harry was silent a moment, then he said “But I thought you said you’d tell me stuff, Lou. This is the kind of thing I thought you’d tell me.”

“So you’re mad because I didn’t tell you I’ve been texting a guy? That doesn’t make any sense. I’m allowed to have secrets, you know? I shouldn’t have to tell you everything if I don’t want to just so you won’t get pissy at me.” And without a second thought Louis hung up the phone, hands shaking with anger as he dropped it onto his bed.

It buzzed and he ignored it, and when Harry tried calling again he switched it off.

The phone stayed off until the next day, and when Louis switched it on he had twenty two messages all from Harry, ranging from _I’m sorry_ to _I’m a twat please forgive me I don’t want to lose you_.

Louis had had a restless sleep, being mad at Harry over something so trivial hadn’t sat right with him at all, so he replied with _Its fine I’m over it. You still coming tonight?_

Mere seconds later Louis’ phone was buzzing, so he answered it with a breathless “Hey.”

“I’m sorry I was such a twat yesterday,” Harry said. “I would have come over last night to sort it out but Mum wouldn’t let me, plus I wasn’t sure if you’d even want that.”

“That’s okay, I probably would have said something stupid if you had.”

“I don’t know why I was mad,” he admitted softly. “It was like last weekend all over again, when I got angry at you for snogging that guy. I just get so pissed off when you mention that guy and I don’t have any reason to be. ”

“Yeah, you sound a bit like a jealous boyfriend or something,” Louis laughed. He hadn’t meant to say it, it just slipped out, so he quickly added “That was a joke.”

“I know,” Harry sighed. “But you’re right. Maybe I am jealous.”

Louis didn’t know what to say to that so he just said nothing, and waited for Harry to break the silence. He didn’t, so Louis cleared his throat and said “Right, well. I’ve got to get going, this English essay won’t write itself. I’ll see you tonight yeah? At Liam’s party?”

“Yeah, of course!” Harry replied enthusiastically, far more chipper than how he’d been at any point in their conversation. “I’m gonna go shopping with Mum today to get some new clothes. Cooler stuff.”

“All right,” Louis grinned at the image of it, of Harry bopping along with his mum in the search for tighter jeans. “You’re not going to dress up? I’ve got no idea what I’m going to go as yet.”

“Shit, I hadn’t even thought of that! I might just tear up an old shirt and go as a zombie or something.” Then after a moment of silence he added soberly “I really am sorry for getting mad, I wish I’d come over yesterday afternoon like I was meant to.”

“It’s okay, really. We’re good now, yeah? It’s all fine on my end.”

“Good, and tonight if you wanna get off with someone I’ll try my hardest not to get mad.”

Louis laughed at his sincerity, then said “I doubt I’ll find anyone to snog at Liam’s party, he doesn’t have any out friends. You on the other hand will have no problem hooking up. Practice makes perfect and all that.”

“Yeah,” Harry sighed dramatically. “It does. I’ll just have to be a frog for the next few girls before I get good.”

“Until you get kissed by the right one and you become a prince, yeah?”

Harry sighed again and said “I guess. I just don’t like being shit at stuff.”

“It’ll only take another kiss or two and you’ll be a champion at it. We can talk about it tonight, yeah? I’ve really gotta get started on this essay.”

“Oh, of course, sorry! Bye!” and he hung up without even waiting for a reply, something that made Louis chuckle under his breath.

\---

Louis was one of the first guests at Liam’s.

Liam opened the door dressed in a green zorb suit and greeted him with “Cool costume. Zombie school boy, yeah?”

“Yep!”

He’d messaged Harry beforehand to tell him his costume choice, and Harry said he’d do the same thing. Louis had just covered an old school shirt and jumper in fake blood and tore holes in the sleeves, then he had dunked the tip of a school tie in fake blood and tied it loosely around his neck. He wore his tightest black jeans because his mum refused to let him destroy any of his school trousers, and he wore Vans because they were more comfortable and far cooler than his school shoes.

He settled in the lounge room with a beer in hand, sitting down between a few of his mates on the sofa.

There was a werewolf and an alien and a vampire, and a girl was dressed as a zombie cheerleader, and Louis was pleased to see that everyone else had half arsed their costumes too.

Slowly the house filled, and Louis was down to his third beer when Harry finally arrived, Niall in tow.

Harry looked incredible. He’d painted his face white and drew on cuts, and he’d gone one step above Louis by wearing a destroyed school blazer. His shirt was more holes than material and he’d drawn on gashes where skin showed through them on his stomach. He’d forgone his tie and, like Louis, wore tight black skinnies.

When Harry spotted Louis he hurried up to him and pulled him in close for a hug, murmuring “You look cool” into his ear.

“You look _amazing_ ,” Louis said when he pulled back, giving him another once over.

“It’s not too much? No one else is really dressed up, I feel like I’m Lindsey Lohan in Mean Girls. You know when she shows up to the party in a wedding dress and everyone else looks all cool?”

“I dunno, I’ve never seen it,” Louis laughed. “And don’t worry, you look good. It’s not too much at all. Just the right amount of much.”

Harry grinned wide and asked “Are you drunk?”

“Only a little. Come on, let’s get you a beer and find you a girl.”

Harry followed him into the kitchen, and Niall hobbled after them. Louis had only managed a quick glance of him when he arrived, too absorbed by Harry to properly notice, but he thought Niall was a vampire. He was dressed in all black with a little fake blood around his mouth, and had decorated his crutches with orange and black streamers for good measure.

Louis passed them both a beer and then pulled himself up to sit on the counter. “So, have you seen anyone you like the look of yet?”

“I just got here, Lou, I’m not searching just yet. Besides, I think I need a couple more drinks before I start kissing people.”

Niall chirped in with “I’m ready to go, so if you can work some of your magic on me I’d be fine with it.”

“All right,” Louis laughed. “I’ll set you up too.”

They just drank and talked about school, and Niall eventually caught the eye of some girl and hobbled over to talk to her, leaving Harry and Louis alone together.

Louis slid off the counter and right into Harry, who grabbed his biceps with his hands to steady him.

“You okay?” Harry asked, voice low and breathy and coming from those sinful lips mere inches away from his own.

“Yeah,” Louis grunted, side stepping away, eager to get out of Harry’s space before he did something stupid. “Want to go somewhere else?”

Harry nodded, then took Louis’ hand in his own and dragged him into the living room.

Liam’s house was more like Harry’s in that it was crisp and clean and sophistically decorated. It was already a mess though, with drinks spilled on the carpet and rubbish dropped haphazardly on the furniture.

The living room was where the brunt of the party-goers were, so Harry found them a little space by the wall to stand together.

“So how did you manage that?” Louis asked, pinching the fabric of Harry’s blazer. “I didn’t even bother asking Mum if I could wreck mine. Too expensive and all that.”

“It’s my spare,” Harry shrugged.

Then he bit his lip and Louis said “Spit it out.”

“Are you on a scholarship?”

Louis raised an eyebrow before letting out a laugh. “Me? You know I’m too stupid for one.”

“Don’t say that,” he frowned. “You aren’t stupid.”

Louis didn’t bother denying him, knowing Harry wouldn’t give in until he was believed. “You’re wondering how I can afford to go to the school, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Harry murmured, then he quickly began to gush. “Which I know is rude and shitty, but I can’t stop wondering. Your mum has the five of you to take care of all on her own, which is impressive in itself. I get why you love her so much. And I noticed when your sisters got home the other week, when I was over, they were all in state school uniforms. Most of the sisters from boys at our school go to St Anne’s, my sister did. It’s not my business so tell me to shut up if you want, but I just want to know.”

Louis smiled warmly and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder to ease his discomfort and obvious embarrassment. “Its fine, I really don’t mind. Let’s just go somewhere quiet to talk, yeah?”

He walked them up the stairs and into Liam’s room, leaving quickly at the sight of a couple on the bed to find an empty room. Liam’s parents’ room was surprisingly free, so they settled in there after Louis had shut and locked the door.

Harry sat at the end of the bed while Louis collapsed onto a soft armchair that had been put in the corner of the room. It was obviously for decoration, but Louis sighed at how comfortable it was. He then looked to Harry, who was fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he stared back with wide eyes.

“It’s not a big deal or anything,” Louis said to break the silence. Despite his words, he felt that annoying thrumming in his blood, that need to move, so he stood up and began to walk around the room. He picked up photo frames and books and whatever else that was not too heavy to hold in one hand as he spoke. “My dad pays for it. For school. He doesn’t see me, and he doesn’t give Mum money for anything else, but he has to pay for my school. It was a clause in their divorce. Me and Mum hate him, so we applied for all the private schools so he’d have to pay loads. He’s got money, he can afford it, which is sort of annoying. I only went to this school ‘cause I thought the bills would make him suffer, but they don’t. I don’t think they even pass his mind, so I suppose I don’t pass his mind either.”

“I’m sure you do. You’re his son,” Harry said softly. When Louis didn’t say anything more, he added “I’m sorry, Lou, your dad sounds like a prick.”

“He is. It’s for the best I don’t see him, really.” Louis shrugged. He put down the small bottle of perfume he’d been holding before spinning around to look at Harry. “It’s really not a big deal though, it’s not something I think about a lot or anything. Doesn’t weigh me down. I’m not bitter and I don’t go to school just to piss him off anymore. I actually like it, even if I’m such a shit to the teachers. I know they hate me and I don’t really care. I’ve only got a few months left and then I’m finished.”

“How come you are such a shit to them?” Harry asked, then hurriedly added “Your words, not mine! I don’t think you’re a shit.”

“I am,” Louis laughed. “And it’s okay. But I don’t know why I am, really. I used to be good at school, or tried to be, but then I realised that I was good at making people laugh and I became obsessed with doing just that. And people always laughed when I spoke back to the teachers, so I did all the time, and then they started hating me. I’ve got a reputation with them as an arsehole, and reputations are hard to break, so I don’t bother. Not all the teachers are bad, anyway. Just a few of them that always give me detentions. I was asked to leave last year, did you know? I wasn’t expelled because I haven’t done anything bad enough, plus those are too messy, but the principal asked my mum if she would consider taking me out of school. She refused them, obviously. It still sucks to know I’m not wanted there.”

“But you are!” Harry near-shouted as he jumped off the bed and strode over to Louis. “Your friends want you there, all the other students want you there. I’m sure the football coach wants you there too, you’re the only one whose any good on that team,” he said it with a smile, but it faltered with what he said next. “I want you there. I can’t imagine that school without you, I don’t know how I’m going to get by next year without you.”

Louis slipped his hand into Harry’s and gave him a wide reassuring grin. “It’ll only be a year before you’re out of there too. Plus, you survived school this long without me, I’m sure you’ll be okay.”

Harry shook his head. “But I didn’t, not really. Even if we weren’t friends I still had you. Your presence was always enough, and now I won’t even have that. You might be counting down the days ‘til you finish but I’m dreading it. Isn’t that selfish?”

He dropped his gaze to the floor and so Louis cupped Harry’s cheek gently, his fingers along his jaw to tilt his face up again. “It’s not selfish, it’s flattering. But don’t worry, we still have ‘til June.”

And Louis probably should have expected it, but he was still surprised as hell when Harry closed the gap between their lips.

He stumbled back into the dresser, and Harry followed him, crowding Louis against it as he kept their lips attached. He was kissing with a desperate fervour that Louis couldn’t get enough of, his enthusiasm and the little sounds he was making more than making up for his lack of practice. His whines were heady and his mouth tasted like mint gum, and Louis got lost in it for far longer than he should have before pushing Harry back with two hands to his chest.

Harry blinked back at him slowly, his cheeks flushed and his lips wet and red. His chest was rising and falling beneath Louis’ palms but he couldn’t find it in him to take them away. He still wanted Harry’s touch and he only had so much self-control.

“Harry, I –“

“I’m sorry,” he blurted. “I just – I’ve wanted to do that for so long. I like you so much Lou, I’ve always liked you so much. I just didn’t realise how. But it makes sense, doesn’t it? It was always a crush, ever since I saw you I loved you.” Harry’s eyes widened impossibly at his slip of the tongue, matching Louis’ own startled expression. “Shit, I’m so-” was all he got out before Louis was shutting him up with his lips.

His fists clenched Harry’s shirt before slipping round to settle at the small of his back, pulling him in until every inch of their bodies were touching. Harry whined desperately and Louis wanted to give him anything, _everything_ that he wanted.

But Louis pulled back just enough to look into Harry’s eyes and ask “Are you sure this is what you want? Because I want you like this but it can’t be all I get. I want you to be mine completely, more than a friend, you know? I need you to want me like that too.”

Harry nodded quick and sure. “I do,” was all he said before kissing Louis again.

Louis could taste the need on his lips, the hunger on his tongue when it slid into his mouth.

His tongue was moving too fast and he was pressing too hard with his mouth but Louis couldn’t care less; the kiss was purely Harry.

But Louis had to break it again, and Harry let out a frustrated groan that had him smiling. “Sorry, just one more thing.”

Harry kissed him again, as if he couldn’t last one more second without their lips attached; like he needed Louis more than air. “Hurry up, I wanna kiss some more.”

It was Louis’ turn to give him a quick kiss. “I just – it’s something I’ve been wondering for the last two weeks and I need to know now.”

“Go on,” Harry urged with a whine.

“Why were you in detention when we met?”

Harry let out a short burst of laughter before he asked “Is that seriously what you want to know more than you want to kiss me?”

“Well, yeah.” Louis shrugged. “I’d rather know what I’m getting into with you. I’d rather know now if you’re a klepto or a graffitist or something. I don’t date criminals.”

“You’re such a knob,” Harry said with a grin, and kissed him with smiling lips.

“That’s not an answer,” Louis grunted, annoyed at himself for pushing Harry back. It was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Fine, I’ll tell you. But you can’t laugh, okay?”

“Okay.” Louis nodded and forced his smile from his face. He had to clench his lips together tight to keep himself from grinning. “Go on.”

“I was caught –” he stopped, his face bright pink when he slapped a hand over his eyes. “Niall pulled my trousers down for a laugh, so I pushed him over and a teacher saw me and gave me a detention for it. It’s how he did his foot, when he fell he rolled it funny and fractured something.”

“Is that it?” Louis scoffed, grin creeping over his face. “You pushed Niall over?”

“This school has a zero tolerance for violence. That’s what the teacher said,” he groaned. “It wasn’t even for something cool.”

“They never are,” Louis laughed. “All of mine have been for stupid shit, like talking in class and being late. At least you have an interesting story.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Harry grinned, and finally took his hand from his eyes to look at Louis.

“I can’t help but feel a bit jealous though. I thought I’d be the first guy to pull your trousers down, but I suppose to have lost that honour to Niall isn’t so bad.”

Harry went bright red and widened his eyes so big Louis thought they’d pop out of his head.

For a second Louis thought Harry was scared of the idea, that maybe he’d just been confused and he didn’t actually want Louis like this, but before Louis could take his words back Harry was kissing him again.

“You can,” he groaned. “Any time, I’m _so_ ready. I want you so bad.”

“Not yet,” Louis said into his lips. “We’ve got all the time in the world. We needa be proper boyfriends for a bit before I have you like that.”

“I’ll wait,” Harry nodded. “Just knowing you want it too is enough.”

And Louis did want it, he wanted it more than anything at that point, but he was right; they had forever together.

**Author's Note:**

> I remade on [Tumblr ](http://harryventura.tumblr.com)


End file.
